Leadership Development

The curriculum is designed specifically to address the needs and attitudes of low-income youth, including alienation from politics and politicians; the legal status of former felons; and issues affecting poor people such as welfare policies, civil rights policies, and campaign finance reform. Activities ask teachers to start with the students' experiences, feelings, knowledge, and concerns. The curriculum is conveniently put into three-ring binders for easy photocopying of activities and handouts, and organized so that teachers may pick and choose sections to be used in their classroom as is appropriate; the entire curriculum need not be used in full. It includes six Appendices including Alignments with National Social Studies Standards.

At YouthBuild we are trying to create an environment in which young people and staff can learn, feel valued and cared for, make good decisions, and grow in their self-development, knowledge, skill, and leadership. Sometimes it seems that there are an overwhelming number of things to do to make things go right. But whether we are in the classroom, doing a rap group, on the work site, or in a Policy Committee or staff meeting, there are a few key processes which always help create the conditions in which groups of people do their best thinking, learning, or decision making.

In this overall context, here are some particular reminders I have found useful to correct my own deficiencies as I go along. These were not written as a comprehensive catalog. Rather, they were written to remind myself of all the things I could think of that I ought to be doing but that I thought I was not doing at the time.  As you take responsibility for running an organization, it helps to keep in mind this broad definition of good leadership:  A good leader cares enough to put out the effort to make things go right through loving people and guiding the group—whatever group—toward using its fullest power to meet the rational needs of everyone it touches.

As adults, how do you help young people find their power? As young people, how do you get stronger and feel like you can speak up? This pamphlet talks about the importance of young people taking on powerful positions in our organizations, and has training exercises that will help groups think about the issues. 

This booklet is published by Youth on Board, a program of YouthBuild USA. Youth on Board works with schools and organizations to promote youth voice, empower young people, and shift cultural norms about the value placed on young people and their contributions. Youth on Board also works to strengthen relationships among young people and between young people and adults. For more information, contact info@youthonboard.org or visit their website at www.youthonboard.org.

Written by YouthBuild USA under contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, these handbooks are designed to help people run effective YouthBuild programs in their communities. They include the HUD YouthBuild Program Manual, Construction Training at a YouthBuild Program, Leadership Development at a YouthBuild Program, Counseling at a YouthBuild Program, Education at a YouthBuild Program, and Opportunities for Graduates of a YouthBuild Program.

This article covers: Basic Assumptions for Effective Human Leadership, What An Effective Leader Does, Some Key Things An Effective Leader Needs to Learn, Habits Incompatible With Good Leadership, and Rewards Of Leadership.

Written by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, this handbook is one of a series designed to help people run effective Youthbuild programs in their communities. Leadership Development at a Youthbuild Program offers advice on how to plan, organize, and implement the leadership development component of a Youthbuild program. This book is especially useful for program directors, program managers, and other program staff because it provides specific suggestions for incorporating leadership development into all aspects of the program. (200 pages).

The following is a vision of what a well-developed, fully integrated leadership development component might look like.  No YouthBuild program to date has achieved all the elements described in this vision, but everything described here has been used by some YouthBuild somewhere.  Not all these aspects of leadership development can be achieved in the first year. Like a house, a solid leadership development program is built in stages.  However, it is helpful to have a blueprint or vision to guide the stages of development.

This course offers a basic foundation for understanding how leadership development serves as the central core of the YouthBuild model. The course focuses on the what, why, and how of leadership development, and describes the most useful tools for putting leadership development into practice across program components.

A youth worker resource group is a structured meeting of adults who work with youth, and who listen and talk about things that matter to young people. Through the process of listening and sharing ideas, people can appreciate each other's work, learn from each other's struggles and successes, and receive encouragement and reliable information about their work, their lives, and accomplishing their goals.

This booklet is published by Youth on Board, a program of YouthBuild USA. Youth on Board works with schools and organizations to promote youth voice, empower young people, and shift cultural norms about the value placed on young people and their contributions. Youth on Board also works to strengthen relationships among young people and between young people and adults. For more information, contact info@youthonboard.org or visit their website at www.youthonboard.org.

Dorothy Stoneman speaks about YouthBuild programs and Leadership Development in a keynote speech at a September 2003 conference of PEPnet, the Promising and Effective Practices Network.

Youth civic engagement is an important means of overcoming disrespect and marginalization of young people that, when done right, can contribute to positive change for all of society.  This article offers proven strategies for generating greater youth participation in project creation, increasing the impact of youth in leadership and governance, and utilizing youth as a powerful resource for public advocacy.

People make big changes in their lives when they can tell that someone cares about them. Strong, respectful relationships with adults and with each other give young people safety and confidence to transform their lives. This pamphlet is designed to help adults think about relationships with young people. It deals with the day-to-day stress that comes up in our work. Getting to the root of these issues and figuring out how to build close connections will have tremendous impact on our lives. 

This booklet is published by Youth on Board, a program of YouthBuild USA. Youth on Board works with schools and organizations to promote youth voice, empower young people, and shift cultural norms about the value placed on young people and their contributions. Youth on Board also works to strengthen relationships among young people and between young people and adults. For more information, contact info@youthonboard.org or visit their website at www.youthonboard.org.

To be successful in our work with young people, we must understand a particular condition of youth: that young people
are often mistreated and disrespected simply because they are young. The word adultism refers to behaviors and attitudes based on the assumption that adults are better than young people, and entitled to act upon young people without their agreement.  This mistreatment is reinforced by social institutions, laws, customs, and attitudes.  The essence of adultism is disrespect of the young. In our society, for the most part, young people are considered less important than and inferior to adults. They are not taken seriously and not included as decision makers in the broader life of their communities. 

We emphasize leadership development in YouthBuild for four reasons: 1) The future of our society and all our communities depends on having more ethical and effective leaders. 2) Every youth program and school would itself be improved if governed with real input from young people. 3) Leadership can engage young people intensely and deeply, liberating their own best energies. 4) Real decision-making responsibility can help heal two deep wounds of young people:  Low self-esteem due to consistent invalidation of their intelligence; and Feelings of powerlessness, and the companion anger, due to being raised in a thoroughly adult-dominated world, which has not listened to the ideas of young people.

The current conditions and our lack of education about people's history make most young people unaware of the great positive contributions youth have made to changing "impossible" things, both in our own country and in other countries.  Here are a few examples to inform and inspire you, especially when discouragement chips away at your enthusiasm and commitment.

Crispus Attucks YouthBuild Charter School Staffer Runs for City Council, Develops Leadership

Published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

Annual State House Day event in Massachusetts inspires support, develops leadership

Youthbuild Innovations is published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

YouthBuild Rockford sets the stage for careers through Youth Development Practitioner Apprenticeship

Youthbuild Innovations is published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

Cobb County YouthBuild design charette sparks student creativity; increases knowledge of sustainable building practices

Youthbuild Innovations is published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

Mentoring, Gaining Exposure for Your YouthBuild Program, Creating Photojournals, and The YouthBuild Carpentry Challenge.

Youthbuild Innovations is published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

Virgin Islands Historic Preservation Efforts lead to opportunities for YouthBuild Students.

Youthbuild Innovations is published by Youthbuild USA under contract with the Office of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). YouthBuild Innovations is intended to broaden the benefits of the HUD Youthbuild national training conferences. The newsletter highlights creative and effective ideas that have emerged directly from conference activities and discussions among YouthBuild practitioners.

This handbook summarizes the experience of many YouthBuild programs in implementing successful Policy Committees.
This handbook is divided into two sections. First section, for staff and directors, contains basic background pieces, training formats, and concrete "how to" information. The second section, for the youth members, includes basic expectations and guidelines intended for the youth members.  It was written by John Bell, Director of Leadership Development at YouthBuild USA, who gathered the experience of many Youthbuild directors on the operation of their Policy Committees. Presented here is a synthesis of best practices.